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Stockton-to-Malone Leftovers Odds and Ends: Anecdotes and Trivia

Since we’re now smack dab in the middle of the offseason, I’ll be throwing up some S2M leftovers I didn’t get a chance to include during Stockton-to-Malone Week. Here’s more.

–During Stockton and Malone’s last season (2002-2003), they were so old that they’d played against 10–that’s ten–of the head coaches in the league. (SI)

–Stockton didn’t become a full-time starter or average more than 23 MPG until his fourth season, but it still only took him less than 11 seasons to break the all-time assist record. Freaking incredible. I am in awe.

–Stockton has never liked a fuss, especially when it was over him. When he was in high school, he wouldn’t even let his parents buy him a letter jacket. In fact, he never wore anything that would let people know he was an athlete. When he got married he made sure that the wedding announcement in The Spokesman-Review said only that the groom was “employed in Salt Lake City.” (SI)

[When the Jazz put up a banner counting down to the assists record, Stockton asked that it be taken down.]

–Stockton lost the Jazz’s “most gruelling practice drill,” wind sprints, just once in his career. Calbert Cheaney’s one victory happened when Stockton was already in his 40s. And yes, the rest of those practices when Stockton was in his 40s, he still beat all of his teammates. (“No. 12, Forever”, sltrib, November 2004)

–Two days after Stockton was drafted in 1984 in the first round, he requested Jazz game films. By the time training camp started, he knew alll of the team’s plays, and where shooters like Adrian Dantley and Darrell Griffith liked to get the ball. (nytimes)

–Stockton’s career transactions read like this: Drafted by the Jazz in 1984. Re-signed by the Jazz in 1986, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1999 and 2001.